Reed Dance

E218885

Reed Dance is a traditional Zulu ceremony in which young women present reeds to the monarch in a celebration of chastity, cultural pride, and communal identity.

All labels observed (1)

Label Occurrences
Reed Dance canonical 3

How this entity was disambiguated

Statements (41)

Predicate Object
instanceOf Zulu cultural ceremony
coming-of-age ceremony
traditional African rite
associatedWithCountry South Africa
associatedWithEthnicGroup Zulu nation
associatedWithRegion KwaZulu-Natal
hasAlternativeName Umkhosi woMhlanga
Umhlanga dance
surface form: Zulu Reed Dance
hasAudience local community
royal family
visitors and tourists
hasAuthorityFigure Zulu king
hasCommunityRole brings together different Zulu communities
hasCulturalCategory intangible cultural heritage
hasCulturalSignificance affirmation of communal identity
celebration of chastity
expression of cultural pride
hasDressCode traditional Zulu attire for maidens
hasGenderAspect female initiation emphasis
hasMusicType traditional Zulu songs and drumming
hasPurpose promote premarital chastity
reinforce loyalty to the monarch
social cohesion
strengthen cultural identity
hasRitualElement presentation of reeds to the king
procession of maidens
singing of traditional songs
traditional Zulu dancing
hasSocialFunction platform for cultural education
public recognition of maidenhood
hasSymbolism reeds symbolize connection to land and water
reeds symbolize purity
hasTemporalAspect held annually
involvesObject reeds
involvesParticipantGroup young unmarried women
involvesParticipantRole maidens presenting reeds
involvesRecipient Zulu monarch
practicedBy Zulu people
relatedConcept African royal ceremonies
Zulu traditional law and customs
virginity testing debates

How these facts were elicited

Referenced by (3)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Zulu people culturalPractice Reed Dance
Umhlanga ceremony alsoKnownAs Reed Dance
Umhlanga dance alsoKnownAs Reed Dance